


A New Day

by ThatScreamingBread



Category: Stardew Valley (Video Game)
Genre: Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Depression, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, F/F, F/M, Female Player, Friendship, Friendship/Love, Jealousy, Massage, Masturbation, Mild Love Triangle, Monsters, Recovery, Romance, Sex, Slow Burn, Smut, VERY BRIEF Leah/Player, Vaginal Fingering, Vaginal Sex, hook-ups
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-19
Updated: 2020-04-20
Packaged: 2021-03-01 01:07:31
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 12,146
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23206726
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThatScreamingBread/pseuds/ThatScreamingBread
Summary: "...and for my very special Minnie, I want you to have this sealed envelope."Nine-year-old Minerva Wade had no idea just what this little letter was, or what it contained.  Sixteen years later, the long-forgotten letter would turn her life around.Directly? It contained a vast, beautiful farmland once belonging to her beloved grandpa.Indirectly? It contained a get-out-of-jail card for her monotonous job, and a key to her own little slice of country paradise.What was in the cards for this hopeful young woman?  Adventure? Excitement? Romance?  The possibilities were endless, and Minerva planned to find out just what she could accomplish.
Relationships: Leah/Female Player (Stardew Valley), Shane/Female Player (Stardew Valley)
Comments: 3
Kudos: 22





	1. One last gift

The Wade family, or what was left of it, huddled together in the bedroom of Grandpa Wallace's forest cottage. Andrew, his son, received a call from his father's caretaker that his health was rapidly declining. Wallace had requested the presence of his only son, his son's wife, Quinn, and his young granddaughter, Minerva, before he passed away.

The three were heartbroken at the sight of him in his deathbed. He looked comfortable, yet supremely exhausted. His kind, gentle eyes crinkled up and sparkled with joy when his family had entered the room.

"We came as soon as we could," Quinn gave him a sad smile, squeezing her husband's hand as if to give him strength.

Grandpa Wallace weakly nodded. "I'm so pleased you were able to make it," he smiled wider. "An old man should get to see his family one last time before he goes, after all."

The four left a few minutes of silence. An unspoken understanding seemed to pass through them all, savoring the quiet of their last time together.

Grandpa Wallace was the one to break the silence. His will was already written up formally, but he saw no reason not to tell his loved ones what they were receiving before the time had come.

For Andrew, he left his black vintage Camaro, his prized gridball trading card collection, and all his savings to better support himself and his family.

For Quinn, he left Grammie Rose's engagement ring--something Grammie Rose insisted he be the one to do shortly before she passed--his old sewing kit and supplies, and his many very old and very valuable cameras he had collected throughout his life.

"...and for my very special Minnie," Grandpa Wallace's eyes met Minnie's, light from the crackling fireplace dancing across his features. "I want you to have this sealed envelope."

Andrew and Quinn exchanged a knowing look, watching proudly as their little girl shyly stepped forward and took the envelope from Grandpa's outstretched hand. 

She curiously turned the envelope over a few times in her hand before trying to break open the indigo seal. "No, no," Grandpa's voice stopped her. "Don't open it yet...have patience." She nodded, stepping closer when Grandpa beckoned her over.

"Now, listen close. There will come a day when you feel crushed by the burden of modern life, and your bright spirit will fade before a growing emptiness," Minnie frowned and gripped the envelope just a little tighter. Grandpa chuckled, reaching out to take one of her tiny hands in his. "When that happens, my dear, you'll be ready for this gift."

Grandpa's eyelids suddenly drooped, the man struggling to keep them open. Minnie shuffled back into her parents' arms with her teary eyes squeezed shut, unable to bear looking at her Grandpa for the last time.

"Now, let Grandpa rest..."

**16 Years later**

Minnie took a swig of the coffee on her desk, shuddering intensely. God, she hated the stuff. But what's a girl to do when her job at Joja Corporate works her half to death five days a week?

Her bloodshot eyes shifted to the clock in the corner of her cubicle. _2:30._ Half an hour until two hours until she could clock out, go home, and hop in a nice, hot shower.

Her patience had already run thin. Just that morning, she had come in to work only to immediately be scolded by her supervisor for her new haircut. Apparently, a sideswept undercut was frowned upon at Joja, especially if the haircut in question belonged to a woman.

She looked at the clock again. _2:32._

"I can't take another minute of this," she grumbled, her fingers running along the drawers in her cubicle until she reached the top one. Opening the drawer, her eyes focused on the indigo seal she had curiously tried to break all those years ago.

Only this time, she broke it.

_Dear Minnie,_

_If you're reading this, you must be in dire need of a change._

_The same thing happened to me, long ago. I'd lost sight of what mattered most in life...real connections with other people and nature. So I dropped everything and moved to the place I truly belong._

_I've enclosed the deed to that place...my pride and joy: Goldfield Farm. It's located in Stardew Valley, on the southern coast. It's the perfect place to start your new life._

_This was my most precious gift of all, and now it's yours. I know you'll honor the family name, my dear. Good luck._

_Love, Grandpa_

_P.S. If Lewis is still alive say hi to the old guy for me, will ya?_

Tears welled up in Minnie's eyes, threatening to spill out and make her mascara run. A feeling of resolve filled her from head to toe. Was she really going to stay in Joja Corporate now that she knew that Grandpa had left this waiting for her? A new life, brimming with opportunity and potential?

Farming would be a challenge. A welcome and interesting one, but still a challenge. Meanwhile, Joja Corporate was complete and utter drudgery, but it was steady pay.

Her eyes darted to the clock again. _2:35._

"Oh," Minnie's eyes narrowed, sighing. "I'm SO out of here."

She briskly packed up her essentials, personal items, and she tucked the letter from Grandpa Wallace safely in the pocket hidden behind her jacket's lapel, keeping her brisk pace as she made a beeline for the only exit from her floor.

"Where do you think you're going, Miss Wade?" One of the supervisors called after her. Minnie's only reply was a firm middle finger in the air as she made her way to the stairwell, the doors swinging shut behind her.

Three days later, she had managed to pack her things and sell whatever else she wasn't taking. Thankfully, her time in the apartment was coming to a close, so moving out wouldn't be much of a hassle to her. The bus arrived right on time, and since no one else was on the bus to Stardew Valley, she had a ton of space for her belongings.

Minnie watched with wide eyes as the lush landscape of the wide open fields and mountains rolled by. Having lived in the city her entire life, she had never seen so much greenery and vegetation. Passing by a sign that told her Stardew Valley was half a mile away, Minnie began to gather up her belongings.

Her legs were stiff from sitting on the bus for too long, but she powered through the awkwardness coursing through them and stepped down with her bags bunched in her arms, her wheeled suitcase following close behind.

"Woah, need some help?"

Minnie turned to face a short, auburn woman who stood by the bus stop. She seemed to be waiting for her. 

"If it's not too much trouble, sure," Minnie shrugged some of the bags off her arms. "These bags are heavy."

"I can take as many as you need me to carry," the woman replied, taking the bags Minnie handed to her as they walked. "I s'pose I haven't properly introduced myself! I'm Robin, the local carpenter."

"Minnie," she gave a curt, introductory nod. "I guess that explains why you're able to carry all those bags," Minnie noted. Truly, Robin was a short, but obviously well-built woman. She was a pint-sized powerhouse.

"You've got no idea," Robin laughed. "Mayor Lewis sent me here to fetch you and show you the way to your new home, which is this way, by the way," Robin walked to the right, Minnie picking up her pace to keep up. "He's there right now, tidying things up for your arrival."

A quaint farmhouse surrounded by rocks, broken bits of wood, and countless weeds came in to view. The wood looked old, but the house itself was adorable. "Wow," Minnie breathed, drinking in the sight of her new farm. "This is both amazing and sad."

Robin chuckled at the woman's comment. "Sure, it's a bit overgrown, but there's some good soil underneath that mess!"

Minnie sighed, but smiled and nodded anyway. "You're right. Grandpa spoke highly of this farm, and I know he wouldn't leave it to me if he didn't think I could handle it."

An older man in a loud green shirt paired with a yellow tie and brown suspenders exited the farmhouse, closing the door gently behind him. He turned around, and seeing Minnie, smiled widely. 

"Ah, the new farmer!"

Lewis walked down the steps to greet her, an air of both welcoming and authority surrounding him. "Welcome! I'm Lewis, Mayor of Pelican Town!"

Well, that explained the authority.

"You know, everyone's been asking about you," Minnie internally cringed. Not even five minutes into her new life, she was already the talk of the town. Lewis, sensing her ambivalence, continued. "It's not every day that someone new moves in. It's quite a big deal! I promise, everyone in town is real friendly. You'll fit right in!"

An awkward silence passed between the three of them. Lewis cleared his throat. "So...you're moving into your grandfather's old cottage. It's a good house. Very 'rustic'." Minnie rolled her eyes and smirked. He was being diplomatic.

Robin sensed this too. "Rustic? That's one way to put it," she snickered. "Crusty might be a little more apt, though."

"Rude!" Lewis bellowed, Robin fruitlessly trying to cover her mouth to prevent laughter from escaping. Lewis sighed, shaking his head. "Don't listen to her, Minerva. She's just trying to make you dissatisfied so that you buy one of her house upgrades," Lewis shot a pointed glare at Robin, who scoffed and crossed her arms defensively.

Lewis chuckled, his calm demeanor returning. "Anyway, you must be tired from the long journey. You should get some rest," Minnie grinned, relieved. "Tomorrow, you ought to explore the town a bit and introduce yourself. The townspeople would appreciate that, and I promise you, they will welcome you wholeheartedly," he added. 

"Trust me. Our little community here is as close as can be," with that, Lewis began the trek back to town, giving Minnie and Robin a polite nod and tip of the hat, before stopping himself. "Oh, I almost forgot," he turned to the wooden bin by the house. "If you have anything to sell, just place it in this box here. I'll come by during the night to collect it." Minnie nodded, making a mental note to remember that.

Lewis smiled, his eyes twinkling. "Well, good luck. Your Grandpa would be so proud." Lewis walked back to town, Robin close on his heels. Minnie waved and watched them leave before turning back around to look at Goldfield Farm.

_Grandpa, I'm going to do you proud. Just you wait._


	2. New kid

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A new farmer in town means the town will take their eyes off Shane. Unfortunately, with Marnie interested in befriending her, Shane will have to face the music sooner or later.

Shane felt almost giddy as he strode out of JojaMart, his shift done for the day. Despite his crippling depression, he worked hard at his job and did it well. Morris actually began to value him as a worker, increasing his wage from 5g an hour to 10g an hour.

Of course, that just gave him more money to spend on beer at the saloon...

Tonight, though, Shane decided he'd treat himself to a pizza instead. Gus's pizzas were made extremely well. The cheese oozed and bubbled like lava when he pulled it from the oven and set it before Shane. Gus also liked to cover the pizza almost entirely with pepperoni, something Shane never complained about. The crust was thick and flaky in the best way.

Really, Shane wouldn't have minded living off pizza and only pizza for the rest of his life.

He walked into the saloon and made his way over to his usual corner at the bar. Gus gave Shane a wide grin and approached to take his order.

"What'll it be today, Shane?"

"Just pizza for tonight. Make it the usual."

Gus was a little surprised Shane didn't want any beer. He liked the money he made from selling it, but was glad Shane wasn't feeding his addiction tonight. He smiled and nodded, going off to bring Shane a pizza fresh from the oven.

Shane met Pam's eyes from across the bar. The two exchanged a silent nod of respect, as they were both the saloon's most frequent customers. Pam grunted and downed the rest of her beer, wiping her mouth off on her sleeve before speaking. "Y'hear? There's a new kid."

"Good. Maybe the people in town will finally stop talking about me, then," Shane grunted. Since Shane arrived in town a few months prior, the townsfolk grew very interested in him. Well, him and his goddaughter, Jas, who had moved with him. It took him months of telling people to fuck off before they finally left him alone, but he'd heard them talking about him whenever he walked through town or sat at the bar.

Sure, he wanted friends. But he hated the idea of having this many people breathing down his neck all the time. It felt...enclosing.

Gus emerged from the back room with a piping hot pizza, setting it in front of Shane. "Enjoy!" Gus smiled, taking the payment from Shane as the dark-haired man immediately set about carving out a slice and popping it in his mouth.

Shane didn't care that the pizza was burning layers of flesh off his tongue and the roof of his mouth. The pizza was like a long orgasm for him. He resisted the urge to order a beer to wash the pizza down with and continued scarfing down bite after bite and slice after slice until only two slices of pizza remained. He sighed, unable to finish the pizza, and asked Gus for a leftovers box.

Leaving the saloon with his boxed slices of pizza in hand, Shane looked at his watch. 6:58. He grumbled a curse under his breath. _Looks like I'll be home early tonight..._

"Shane!" Marnie exclaimed when the man stepped through the door to the ranch. "You're s--" she stopped herself from finishing the word. _Sober._ Shane glared at his aunt, waiting for her to finish what she was going to say. Not that it mattered, he knew already. "You're home early," Marnie corrected. She stepped out front behind the counter, her eyes sparkling with delight.

"Did you hear? There's a new farmer in town!" Marnie beamed, obviously excited. Shane rolled his eyes, but waited for her to continue. "She's Wallace Wade's granddaughter! You remember Wallace, don't you?"

"Yeah, a little," Shane lied.

"Goodness knows that farm is something special. That man, Yoba bless him, loved it with all his being," Marnie sighed, wistfully. "It was an awful shame he died. He used to give me horseback riding lessons when we were young," she shook herself out of a memory. "Anyway, I'm going on over tomorrow to give her a proper hello. Want to join me? Lewis said she seems like a shy type, and she could probably use a friend or two."

"Pass," Shane grunted, heading over to his room. Marnie sighed, dejected, but knew that when Shane was set in his decision, there was no chance at getting him to change his mind.

Shane flopped down on his bed, reaching absentmindedly under the bed for a can of beer. He leaned over the edge of the bed and reached further under, finally grabbing one of the beers. Satisfied, he sat up on his bed and cracked open the cold one, taking a long sip. His eyes swept across his room, looking for something to entertain himself with tonight. Video games, maybe? Or memes on his phone? One thing was for certain, though, he was completely content just sitting in silence with his beer for a while. 

"Uncle Shane!" Jas came bounding into the room. Shane sat up straighter and set the can of beer on the ground, hoping his goddaughter wouldn't notice what he was doing. "Uncle Shane, can I feed the blue chickens tonight?"

 _Oh._ He had forgotten to feed the hens in the coop. "Sure thing, kiddo," Shane smiled. "But don't forget to feed Charlie. She gets cranky when she isn't fed on time," he chuckled as Jas ran out of the room. He got off the bed, shuffling over to the door and closing it behind Jas. Hopefully she wouldn't come back into the room and catch him drinking.

As he drank his beer, it got harder and harder for him to stay awake. He'd stayed up pretty late the night before and had gotten up at his usual time for work. He usually went to bed at 11:30, and right now, it was 8:00. Knocking back the rest of his drink, he decided it wouldn't hurt to get some extra shuteye. He crunched the can of beer under his heel, slipping his shoes and hoodie off as he walked over to the lamp to turn it off. Shane fell bonelessly onto the bed, too exhausted to pull the covers over himself as he drifted off.


	3. Settling in

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Minnie already has her hands full with her new farm when the kindly older woman down south brings a furry friend to greet her.

Minnie had just finished unpacking the last of her bags. They were full of clothes, mostly, but a few knickknacks and some other goodies were brought with her. Makeup, toiletries, a photo album from her childhood, an electric razor (so she could maintain her fabulous new undercut), a couple gaming consoles with video games, and strangely enough, a vase from her apartment. She had picked up the vase from a garage sale back when she lived with her parents, but she had grown so fond of it, she just couldn't bear to part with it.

Just as she set the vase on the table, she heard a few soft knocks on the front door. Wondering who could be at her doorstep that hour, she hurried over and opened the door.

"Hello, Minerva!" a stout, older woman stood at her doorstep, a little brown dog at her heels. The woman's kind smile reached her eyes. "You see this dog here?"

Minnie looked down at the dog, who looked right back up at her with big, brown, trusting eyes. The dog panted and wagged his tail happily. "I found it sitting outside the entrance to your farm," the woman continued, her brows knitted together with worry. "I think it's a stray...poor thing."

The woman looked down at the excited dog, her frown turning to a bright smile as the gears in her head turned. "Hey, it seems to like this place! Um...don't you think this farm could use a good dog?"

Minnie stooped down to pet the friendly dog, who leapt up and tried to tackle her, licking her excitedly. She laughed, snuggling the dog close. "He's so cute! Of course I'll take him!"

The woman grinned. "That's great! Any ideas for a name yet?"

"Snoof," Minnie replied, scratching the dog behind the ears. "I'll name him Snoof!"

"Well, Snoof," Snoof looked up at the woman who had brought him over. "You be a good pooch now, okay?" she stooped to pet him, chuckling as he nudged her affectionately.

Minnie awkwardly cleared her throat. "Thank you for bringing him over," the woman looked up at her. "But I don't think we've properly met. I mean...you know me already, I'm Minerva. Minnie for short."

"I'm Marnie. Mayor Lewis told me you arrived a few days ago," she offered Minnie her hand for a handshake. Minnie took her hand as she continued speaking. "I sell livestock and animal care products at my ranch. You should swing by sometime."

"As soon as I get the old coop and barn fixed up, I'll think about getting some animals for the farm," Minnie gave an uncertain glance over to the rundown buildings. "But I don't really know when that might be."

"No rush, honey. My animals will be at the ranch year round. Whenever you're ready, give a holler," Marnie reassured. "And feel free to drop by for a visit. My door's always open."

Minnie smiled. Marnie was so kind. She reminded her a lot of Grammie Rose. "I will. Thank you, Marnie."

After Marnie went back home, Minnie invited Snoof inside. The curious dog sniffed all around the house as Minnie took out her phone and called her mother.

"Hello?"

"Hi, mom!"

"Oh, Minnie! It's been a while since you've called. Everything alright?" her mother asked.

"Everything's great. But I do need to tell you something," Minnie absentmindedly fiddled with her earring.

"Should I be worried?"

"No, no," Minnie reassured. "Nothing bad. But it's about Grandpa."

No reply came. "Mom, are you still there?"

"Yeah, still here," her mother answered. "But I think I know what you're going to say. Here, I'm putting you on speaker phone."

"Speaker phone? Why?"

"So your dad can hear! Say hi, sweetie!"

"Hi, dad!" Minnie heard her dad's deep voice greeting her from somewhere in the background and smiled.

"Go ahead, Minnie."

"The other day at work, I opened up Grandpa's letter. You know, the one he gave me the night he died."

"And..."

"And he left me Goldfield Farm. I left Joja, packed my things, and moved into his old cottage."

She heard her dad's hearty laughter in the background. "Hey, pumpkin, mom gave me the phone," her dad informed her. "Your grandfather never told mom or I what he willed you, but we suspected this might be it."

"You did?"

"Call it a hunch. He moved in at sixteen--sixteen! Can you believe that? And he stayed on the farm for over thirty years."

"He did?! What?!" Minnie half-asked, half-exclaimed. "How did I not know about this place until just a few days ago?"

"I'm getting there, pumpkin," Minnie settled down and let her dad finish. "He met your grams in Pelican Town. Back then, it was called Crane Rock, if you can believe it," her dad chuckled. "Anyway, he and grams lived there for a long while and had me when they were both 40. We moved out when I was around six or seven. They had made enough money to retire and felt like I needed to be raised in a more modernized area, so to speak."

"So he never sold it?" Minnie asked.

"No, he loved the place too much. Unfortunately, as the years went by, he and your grams just didn't have the energy or strength to maintain the farm, so it fell into disrepair."

Minnie walked over to the window, looking out at the debris all across the farmland. "I noticed," she grimaced.

"Your grandfather loved you very much, Minnie," her dad began. "Even more than the farm he worked himself down to the bone over. When your mother and I noticed he hadn't sold it, it wasn't a leap to assume he'd leave it to you in his will."

"Well, I'm glad he did. Goldfield Farm is a beautiful place, if a bit ramshackle," she looked back out the window. "I just hope I can restore it to its former glory."

"Minnie, it's mom again," her mother greeted. "We know you can do it, honey. We're so proud of you for taking over the farm like you did. That's a huge responsibility, one your father, your grandfather and I all know you can handle."

Minnie smiled. Tears pricked at her eyes. She quickly wiped them away, laughing. It was unlike her to get so emotional so suddenly. "Thanks, mom."

"Anytime, sweetheart. Your father and I are always just a call away. Who knows, maybe you'll find some letters in the mail sometime soon," though she was thousands of miles away, Minnie could see her mother winking at her from over the phone.

"I sure hope so! Maybe with a package full of something yummy. Hint, hint," Minnie giggled, her mother's own laughter joining her over the phone.

"Get out of here, you."

"Love you guys too!"

Minnie hung up. She set her phone on the table and looked down at Snoof, who trotted over and sniffed her boots. "Let's get you some food and water, little guy."


	4. Woodland princesses

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> New friends aren't always easy to come by, but their companionship is always worth it. Especially if they're cute...

The bounty of the forest was practically Minnie's for the taking. She just needed to go south of her farm and the forest was at her doorstep. Flowers, berries, and other flora graced the seemingly endless forest, the leaves whispering amongst themselves in the wind. Heading east of what she assumed to be Marnie's ranch, Minnie set about foraging whatever she could. Plucking berries from a nearby bush, picking leeks and wild horseradishes from the ground, and scouring the beautiful, emerald-green wonderland for anything she could. 

The air was so fresh, and the sky was so clear. The sun warmed the skin on Minnie's face, and the gentle gusts of wind cooled her down, tousling her chestnut hair. Little rabbits, birds, and squirrels went about their merry way as Minnie ventured deeper into the forest. Really, the atmosphere seemed welcoming to her. Playful, even.

Minnie carefully picked salmonberries from a bush practically bursting with them when a shock of bright orange hair and bright blue eyes rose from the other side.

"Oh!"

Minnie jumped back, surprised. Her surprise guest, a young woman with an immaculate braid of ginger hair, also leapt back. She shyly brushed a stray lock of hair from her face. "I'm so sorry, I didn't realize someone else was picking berries here," the girl apologized, a light blush spreading across her cheeks.

"Don't worry, there's enough berries for both of us," Minnie replied, approaching the redheaded woman. 

The girl nodded. "You're right. Besides, I've found a lot of things in the woods today." She was slender with a petite frame, wearing a green top with blue jeans and brown suspenders. She held a little basket full of various berries, acorns, and other little things gathered from the forest. No doubt another forager.

Minnie gave her a soft smile as she resumed picking berries, the woman joining soon after. "I haven't seen you around town before, and word on the street is, we've got a new farmer, so..." she trailed off.

"That's me," Minnie replied, making sure to pick the especially plump berries she noticed on the bush. "My name's Minnie. What's yours?"

"L-Leah," she tucked another strand of hair behind her ear. Minnie smirked. The girl obviously played with her hair whenever she was nervous. It was kind of cute.

"So, Leah, did you get help gathering all that stuff in your basket from forest animals?" Minnie asked, earning a confused look from Leah. "I'm sure they'd line up to help you. After all, you look like a woodland princess."

Leah threw her head back, cheeks warm and red with laughter. Her laughter was a lot louder than Minnie expected from someone who spoke so softly. "Do you always flirt with strangers you meet in the woods?" Leah giggled, twirling a lock of hair in her fingers.

"Flirt? Me? Never, your royal woodland majesty," Minnie joked, throwing a sly wink Leah's way. "Just making chitchat is all."

"Chitchat, you say?" Leah smiled, her voice softening again. "If that's the case, I really must say you picked a great time to move here. Springtime in Stardew Valley is lovely. It's absolutely beautiful."

"I can't say I disagree with that. Everything about this place is like something from a storybook. I've only been here...four? Three? I think four days now, and I'm having a better time than I ever did in the city."

Leah's smile faltered a bit. "You came from the city too?"

Minnie blinked, surprised. "Actually, yeah. I worked a desk job. Snore."

Leah sighed. "I wasn't a fan of the city much, either. I came here so I could focus more on myself."

Minnie solemnly nodded. "Yeah, I can relate."

Leah stepped back from the bush, looking at the basket in her hands. "I think I'd better stop here and go back home. My basket is full to bursting," she frowned, though her expression quickly changed to a shy smile. "It was very nice to meet you, Minnie. Feel free to visit my cottage if you need someone to talk to. Maybe someday, I'll make you a nice fruit salad."

"Only if I can bring ingredients and help," Minnie gave Leah a pointed look. "And only if we can share."

Leah grinned. "Deal."


	5. Chicken coop

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shane comes face to face with someone he knew was going to be a problem, especially now that she's already inserted herself into his life.

Minnie gathered up all the wood she'd chopped that day and piled it all by the rocks she'd collected from the many stones on her property. The sun beat down heavily on her, no doubt she'd gotten a nasty sunburn by now. She wiped the sweat from her forehead and stepped back to examine the piles of wood and stone. "Yeah, looks to be enough," she mumbled to herself.

She was planning to get Robin to build her a coop so she could supplement her earnings from her crops with eggs. She scarfed down the last field snack she'd made for that day. It wasn't very good, but it was filling. And...crunchy.

Exhausted, she flopped bonelessly on the bed. After all the woodcutting and pickaxing, every muscle in her body was sore. She knew she was covered in a shiny layer of sweat and needed to shower, but she needed just a minute to lay down and rest.

She reached under the bed where her phone was charging and plucked it from the charging cord. Scrolling through her contacts, she stopped when she got to the 'R' section and selected the person she wanted to call before tapping the small green circle with a phone in it.

"Hello?" Robin answered.

"Robin, it's Minnie."

"Minnie!" Robin cheerfully greeted. "What can I do for you? Ready to give that ol' house of yours an upgrade?"

"Close. I actually need a new coop. The materials are out front by my dog's water bowl, and I've got the 4000G on hand right now."

"Say no more," Robin replied. "I'll be over first thing tomorrow to get started on your new coop."

Minnie smiled. "Thank you, Robin."

Robin chuckled. "Just doing my job," the line crackled. "Congrats, by the way. This is a big step for your farm."

"It'll definitely be nice to have some chickens around. I think I can see a barn in my future."

"Well, you know who to call," Minnie heard a man's voice calling out on the other end. "Hey, I gotta go. Dinner."

"No worries. Thanks again!"

"Anytime!"

_Click._

Minnie set the phone on her bed and got up. Shedding her clothes as she walked over to the bathroom, she grabbed her shampoo and body wash off the sink counter before hopping in the shower. She lathered herself with body wash, wincing a bit as she massaged her very, _very_ sore arms. After covering herself head to toe, she let the warm water rinse the body wash off her hands and body before reaching over and squirting some shampoo into them. She always put way too much shampoo in her hands because she was still used to having long, flowing hair rather than a sideswept undercut. Nonetheless, she worked the shampoo into her scalp, lathering it and getting it deep in what was left of her hair. After rinsing the shampoo from her hair, she sat down in the shower and lay back, closing her eyes and letting the warm water envelop her in complete bliss.

She lay there for a few minutes, almost nodding off a few times. After a long, painful day of exertion and toil on the farm, all Minnie really needed was a little bit of R&R. Reluctantly sitting up and turning the shower off, she got to her feet. She swayed dizzily a bit, having gotten up too quickly, but steadied herself against the shower wall. Stepping out of the shower, she grabbed a towel from under the sink and dried herself off. Seeing the hair on her legs, she reminded herself to drop by the general store and see about getting some new razors among other much-needed household goods. 

Minnie did want to get ready for bed properly. Dry her hair, brush her teeth, et cetera. But _Yoba,_ she was beat. Scooping up her dirty clothes, she flung them at the hamper at the foot of her bed. Not caring that half the clothes ended up in the hamper and the other half ended up on the floor, Minnie crawled into bed and pulled the covers over herself, falling into a deep, snoring slumber.

The next morning, Minnie instinctively shielded herself under the covers when a loud series of metallic sounds reached her ears. Her heartrate slowed when she remembered Robin said she would drop by in the morning and get started on the coop. Minnie blinked and looked at her phone. 6:00.

She groaned. Robin was there so early, and she was so tired. But with all the banging and clanging, she wouldn't get to sleep until Robin finally left for the night. And who knew when that would be?

Minnie threw the covers off herself and sat up, setting her feet on the ground. It was then that she realized two things. One, after her shower, she had neglected to put any pajamas or underwear on, and was as naked as the day she was born. Two, she was sore. _Yoba,_ she was sore. Turns out, all the soreness from yesterday decided to amplify itself. She thought it would've gotten better overnight, but nope. And like she had predicted before, she was most definitely sunburned. Ouch.

Carefully standing up, she shuffled over to her drawers and pulled out some clean clothes. Comfy black sweatpants, an old blue T-shirt she didn't remember she had, a pair of socks, and a bra and undies. Minnie decided that today, comfy was the way to go. There wasn't a chance in hell she'd be able to get much done on the farm except watering the crops. Slipping into her clothes, she stepped into a pair of sneakers rather than the boots she usually wore. 

Minnie growled and shielded her eyes when she stepped out into the sunlight. "Woah!" she whirled around to find Robin looking at her from where she worked on the coop. "You alright? I haven't seen an aversion to sunlight like that since I forced Sebby outside."

"Oh, yeah," Minnie looked down at her shoes, embarrassed. "Just super tired. And sore."

"Hang in there, Minnie," Robin gave her a sympathetic look. "If the spa were open, you could head over and take a bath. That's usually what I do whenever a job's got my muscles overworked."

"Speaking of your job," Minnie reached into her sweatpants pocket, pulling out a coinpurse. "I believe I owe you for the coop you're building."

"Hey, thanks a bundle!" Robin gratefully accepted the coinpurse of 4000G, setting it in her toolbox. "Sorry if I woke you, by the way. I feel the need to warn you that I'll be here tomorrow and the day after that still working on this," she gestured to the coop, only its foundation visible.

"That's alright. And hey, if you need anything to drink or eat, I always leave the door unlocked. Pretty sure I have a thing of lemonade still in the minifridge," Minnie offered, nodding towards the house.

Robin shook her head, lifting up a bright purple lunchbox. "I've got all I need packed in my lunchbox. But I will keep your offer in mind," she replied with a grateful nod, setting her lunchbox down and delving into her toolbox for a wrench.

Minnie took the watering can off the deck and set about watering her crops. She'd already harvested all the free parsnips Lewis had given her as a welcome gift, but she still had plenty of other seeds growing on the farm. Some of which she bought from the general store, some of which she'd just...found. She wasn't quite sure what the seeds were when she found them, but she'd planted them anyway. After all, every little bit helps.

After the last of the crops had been watered, Minnie set the near-empty watering can back on the deck. She decided it was probably a good idea to stop by Marnie's and tell her she'd be buying some chicks for the new coop soon. She glanced over at Robin, still working diligently on the coop, before trudging down to Marnie's ranch.

She loved being so close to the forest. Unfortunately, her farm was practically all dirt and no grass or greenery. It felt like a miniature desert in its own way. But here, in the area surrounding Marnie's ranch, it was an endless emerald landscape.

When Minnie finally reached the front door, she stopped herself from knocking, suddenly very much aware of the time. It was probably, what, 6:30? As far as she knew, Marnie didn't open her doors until 9 o'clock sharp, and knocking this early would just be rude.

Minnie's eyes came to rest on Leah's cottage. She briefly considered going to knock and see if Leah was awake, but she didn't want to risk waking her up either. Defeated, Minnie wandered over to a tree and sunk to the ground, resting her back and head against the surprisingly comfortable plant. She had a few hours until Marnie opened the doors to the ranch, so what was the harm in taking a little nap? She closed her eyes, smiling. There was a nip in the air, but it was so fresh. So...springy. The dewy grass tickled her ankles where her sweatpants and socks didn't cover the skin, but she was so tired, she didn't care. Ever so slowly, she drifted off to sleep.

"That's her!"

Minnie stirred against the tree at the sound of a tiny, shrill voice, still half-asleep.

"That's the lady I told you about. She's still here."

"Oh, darlin'! That's just Minerva," Minnie's eyes slowly opened at the sound of Marnie uttering her name, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. Marnie and a tiny girl with a mint green bow in her hair stood a few feet in front of her, both turning their heads at the sound of her stirring.

"Poor thing probably just wanted a nap and we went and woke her up," Marnie gave a sympathetic chuckle, walking over to offer Minnie her hand. Minnie clasped her hand and rose to her feet with a jaw-cracking yawn.

"Sorry, sorry. Robin's working on the coop by my house and it's so loud I couldn't get back to sleep," she brushed off the bits of grass and dirt that were undoubtedly clumped on the back of her pants.

Marnie waved her off. "That's alright, honey. A coop, you say?" the corners of her lips tugged up into a smile. "Is that why you were down here this early?"

Minnie nodded affirmatively. "I just wanted to tell you I'll probably be back in a few days in the market for some chicks, so save some for me, okay?" she joked, earning another chuckle from the older woman.

"I'll do you one better. Why not head over to the coop now and you can meet some of the chicks that just hatched yesterday?"

Minnie was about to answer when the little girl, who had been shyly clinging to Marnie's leg, piped up. "Can I go too? I want to see the chickies!"

Minnie smiled and nodded gently. "Of course you can, miss--?"

The little girl hugged Marnie's leg tightly again. "Go on, tell her your name," Marnie gently encouraged.

The girl sucked in a deep breath. "M-My name's Jas." she introduced herself, still hugging Marnie's leg as if she could draw strength from the fabric of her dress.

"Nice to meet you, Jas. I'm Minnie," she crouched down to her level and gave her a little wave. She knew her height would be a little intimidating to the girl, and it would help if she lowered to Jas's eye level. Jas's hold on Marnie's leg visibly loosened. "It's alright to be shy. I'm a little shy, too," Minnie admitted, rising to her feet again. She cringed, the sore muscles in her legs burning from the otherwise simple action.

Marnie frowned, her eyebrows quirked. "Are you alright?" she asked, reaching a hand out should Minnie need help.

"Y-Yeah, fine," Minnie shook her head a few times to recompose herself. "I'm just really, really sore from all the work on the farm I did yesterday."

"Well, how about this. While you and Jas are meeting the chicks, why don't I see if I can rustle up some cream or pills to take some of the soreness away?"

"Oh, Marnie," Minnie felt awkward, yet at the same time, grateful Marnie had offered to help. "You really don't have to do that, you know?"

"Oh, nonsense! It's no trouble at all. Now, Jas," Marnie looked down at the girl. "Why don't you take Minerva over to the coop?"

Jas smiled, letting go of Marnie's leg completely and jumping excitedly. "I will! I--" she stopped and looked at Minnie, her shy demeanor returning. "Come on, the coop is this way."

After another long night of drinking, Shane was out cold snoring in his bed, drool dribbling onto his sheets and pillow. He was so exhausted that not even the sharp knocks on his door could stir him.

"Shane? Honey, are you awake? I'm coming in," Marnie's last three words got his attention. His bloodshot eyes snapped open as the door to his room did and the lights came on. Shane groaned in protest, covering his eyes with his blanket. "Do you have any analgesics? Maybe cream?" Shane mumbled something he couldn't even make out, tightly shutting his eyes. "Shane?" Marnie called.

"Top drawer, nightstand," he instructed, suddenly feeling dizzy, hot, and sweaty. _Oh, Yoba._ He knew exactly what was coming as nausea bubbled up inside him, turning him positively green and threatening to overflow.

So he let it.

Just as Marnie approached the nightstand, Shane shot out of bed and keeled over in the center of the room. "Shane! What in the blazes--" Shane coughed violently, sweat trickling down his forehead. He could feel the inevitable creeping up his body, and with another painful cough, bright orange vomit shot up his throat and onto the floor. As he heaved a few more spurts of puke, he felt Marnie's hand rubbing his back comfortingly until there was nothing left in his stomach to come back up. "You're alright, you're alright," Marnie soothed. "Stay right here, I'll go get the mop."

Shane weakly lay on the ground, his head throbbing. Looking down at himself, he realized he'd only worn a pair of briefs to bed and immediately felt bad that Marnie had seen him in such a state. He wanted to find a mint or something to clear up the taste of vomit in his mouth, but he couldn't pick himself up off the floor. He could taste the pizza he'd had last night for dinner. Shuddering disgustedly, he closed his eyes and waited for Marnie to get back.

Minnie knelt down and gently picked up a bright yellow chick, Jas looking over her shoulder at the tiny creature. "Look at her, miss!" Jas squealed. "She's so small and cute!" Minnie smiled and gave the chick a few gentle strokes before setting it back down, watching it toddle off.

Minnie slowly stood up so as not to strain her muscles any further when she heard the door to the coop open. "Jas, you don't mind if I steal Minerva from you for a minute do you?" Minnie turned around to see Marnie leaning against the doorframe with a bright smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.

Jas pouted but shook her head. "Hurry back, and we can keep playing with the babies," Jas quietly told Minnie, looking back over at the chicks. Minnie walked over to Marnie and out of the coop. Marnie gently shut the door behind them, before whirling around.

"I need you to keep Jas distracted for me, can you do that?" the usually calm woman sounded slightly frantic. "My nephew--her godfather--had an incident, and I need you to keep Jas away from us for a while." 

"An incident? My god, what happened?" Minnie asked, a nervous hand going up to play with her earring. Marnie opened her mouth as if to speak before shaking her head. She took a deep breath and slowly let it out. "You didn't hear this from me, but he's got a drinking problem. He's having a bad hangover and we need to...clean up," she shuddered. "Listen, I'll come get you and Jas when it's taken care of and I can make us all some lunch. Sound good?"

Minnie nodded, understanding. "I'll watch Jas, you can count on it," Marnie sighed, tightly clasping Minnie's hand as if to thank her before scurrying off. Minnie exhaled, hoping things would go well with Jas. She opened the door to the coop, only to find Jas sitting on the ground covered with chicks. In her lap, in her hands, the chicks were all over her. The two locked eyes, and Jas gave a shy but undoubtedly happy smile.

"M-Minnie, they like me!"

Shane, having clothed himself, mopped his vomit off the hardwood floor while Marnie set aside some pills and a glass of water on his nightstand. "Shane, you've got to stop doing this to yourself," Shane guiltily ducked his head, focusing more intently on mopping. "You're digging your own grave, honey," Marnie added, and though Shane refused to look at her, he could see the frown on her face and the tears in her eyes. 

He sighed. "Look, I can take care of this," he grunted. "Bengay's in the top drawer of the nightstand if you still need it."

Marnie shook her head. "Not until you take some medicine and get some food in you. I want you to feel better so Jas doesn't have to see you like this later," Shane cringed at the mention of his goddaughter's name. He felt like shit for always blowing her off to drown himself in alcohol. "Fine, fine. I have a frozen pizza in the--"

"You're going to eat something good for you, Shane. Not pizza again."

Shane groaned again, stamping a foot on the newly cleaned floor like a petulant child. "Yoba, fiiiiiiiiine," he drawled, turning to face her. "You got some fresh bread, right? I'll have a couple slices of bread. Sound good?"

Marnie sighed, giving him a soft smile. "It's a start," she walked by him, taking the mop from his hands and giving his shoulder a gentle squeeze.

Shane waited for the door to click behind Marnie and her footsteps to disappear before putting a hand to his aching head, letting out a deep sigh. He popped the two pills in his mouth and washed them down with the glass of water his aunt left for him. As if on cue, his stomach growled. He couldn't lie, the bread he'd promised to eat actually did sound pretty good. 

A sudden realization filled his head. _She forgot the Bengay._ Groaning again, he opened the top drawer of the nightstand and rooted around until he found the tube, closing the drawer and starting out of the room.

Shane stopped in his tracks. Marnie bustled around the kitchen gathering various things from cabinets, cupboards, and the fridge. Jas sat at the table talking eagerly, a woman around his age with a drastic haircut sitting next to her in the seat he always sat at. He actually might've found her kind of cute if she hadn't been in _his_ place of residence with _his_ goddaughter in _his_ chair.

Marnie saw Shane and stopped what she was doing, throwing her hands up. "That's what it was! I knew I forgot something!" she laughed. "Shane, honey, can you bring that Bengay over to Minerva over there?" Shane reluctantly nodded, his mouth going dry. He sat at the table across from Jas, making a point not to look at the unwanted guest as he casually slid the tube of cream-- _his_ tube of cream--across the table.

Jas huffed, crossing her arms. "Young man, introduce yourself! We have a guest, and if you can't behave, you can't play with your toys for the rest of the night!" she scolded with mock anger, struggling not to giggle at the end of her sentence.

Shane immediately felt pressure when he begrudgingly turned to look at the woman--Minerva--and immediately made eye contact with her deep green eyes. "Pleased to meet you, Skrillex."

"Wait, wait, wait, _Skrillex?!_ My hair looks _nothing_ like that!" Minnie practically shrieked, hands going up to straighten her hair as if to prove a point. Well, shit. He actually hadn't expected her to know who Skrillex was and therefore pick up on his veiled insult. Shane stuck his hands in his pockets and bit his tongue to keep from smiling, somewhat amused by her outburst. Jas looked between the two, confused, but stayed quiet and let the conversation ride out.

"Whatever. It's Shane, by the way," he looked away. That was all she was getting for an introduction.

Minnie quirked an eyebrow. This guy was weird as hell. "Minnie," she replied hesitantly, perking up when Marnie brought over a big plate of four PB&J sandwiches.

Jas attacked her sandwich, hungry from a morning of playtime. Minnie scarfed down her sandwich with a speed and ferocity that actually impressed Shane. "Goodness me! Can I get you another?" Marnie asked, surprised.

Minnie shook her head and patted her tummy. "No thank you, Marnie. I was just really hungry is all."

"Uncle Shane, guess what me and Minnie did today," Jas excitedly gabbed with a mouthful of PB&J. Shane smiled a little at that. Jas was a good egg. She continued, "We went out to aunt Marnie's coop and got to meet the chicks! Minnie says she's gonna take some home and let me visit."

"That's really something, kiddo," Shane smiled, hiding his annoyance. He'd probably have to be the one to take Jas up to visit the chicks. Maybe if he told Minnie to fuck off a few extra times, she wouldn't want to talk to him when he came up with Jas. Hell, maybe she'd even ask Marnie to go in his place.

When Jas finished her sandwich, she took Minnie's cleared plate as well as her own and put them in the sink. "Well, it was nice having you visit, Minerva. I have to go drop Jas off at her friend Vincent's house for a playdate, but feel free to stick around if you like," she shot Shane a very brief yet very potent warning glare. Marnie finished up her own sandwich and put the plate in the sink with the others.

Jas hopped up from her seat and followed Marnie to the front door. "Bye, Uncle Shane," she waved. "And goodbye, Minnie!" she smiled, waving a little bit faster.

Shane was about to get up and go back to his room and call the day a wash when Minnie's voice stopped him. "I heard about what happened earlier."

_FUCK._

"You doing alright?" she asked, and he mentally cursed Marnie for telling her about the ordeal from earlier.

Shane gritted his teeth, his eyes narrowing as he stood up. "I knew you were going to be a fucking problem," he spat icily.

Minnie stared blankly. "How am I a problem already? I've barely said anything to you!"

"Let's keep it that way, I'm not looking for friends."

"Not looking for-- _what?_ What the hell is your story?!"

Shane ignored her, trudging back to his room before casting a final glance at her. He nodded at the Bengay in front of her. "You're welcome, by the way."

And he slammed the door, guilt consuming him as he flicked the light off and dove back into bed.


	6. Leah's Cottage

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Minnie needs to vent, Leah is there to provide a friendly ear, and maybe a little more...

"Hi, Minnie!"

Minnie stopped in her tracks at the sound of Leah's voice. She really wasn't in the mood to talk to anyone after dealing with Shane's bullshit, but she didn't want to be rude and brush Leah off. She swallowed hard and forced a smile, ignoring the soreness rippling throughout her body and turning back around to face the redheaded woman.

"Leah! Fancy seeing you here," Minnie called out.

"Not really, I live here," Leah smirked.

_Oh. Right._

Minnie wasn't sure if she was doing a good job of hiding her frustration or not, but judging by the sudden shift in Leah's demeanor, she obviously looked like something was bothering her. "Hey, is everything okay?" Leah asked, approaching. "We may not know each other well, but I'm willing to listen." Minnie's fake smile faltered, and she broke her façade with a harsh sigh.

"It's just--" Minnie glanced over at Marnie's ranch. She didn't want to risk Marnie or Jas coming back early and catching her talking about Shane behind his back with Leah. She shuddered at the thought of Shane himself catching them.

"We can go to my cottage to speak if you like," Leah looked over at the small riverside cottage. "I know this town has ears everywhere. Trust me. I get it if you want to talk somewhere private."

Minnie nodded. "Yes, thank you. That would be really nice."

Leah and Minnie stepped into the cottage. It smelled heavily of freshly-cut wood. Like, _heavily._ Minnie found herself stuck in a horrific limbo of needing to sneeze but not being able to. Ignoring the terrible sensation in her sinuses, Minnie instead looked around the room. It was homely, quaint, and really cozy. A fireplace crackled near the corner of the room. Several potted plants sat on the floor. Beautiful paintings adorned the walls, and more still sat on the floor by an easel. An abstract sculpture made purely of wood stood proudly before Leah's bed. A wooden sculpture? Ah. That must've been why the cottage smelled so strongly of wood.

"Hey, sorry if I'm being nosy," Minnie wandered over to the sculpture. "But did you _make_ this?"

Leah was unable to hide a look of surprise that crossed her face before she beamed proudly. "I did! It's, um, actually still in progress," she twirled a lock of orange hair in her fingers.

"That is SO bitchin'," Minnie circled the sculpture, awestruck. "This sculpture is all one piece of wood, too. I can't believe you got it to have this twisty curly effect!"

Leah laughed, her face turning sixteen shades of bright red. "You're embarrassing me!" Leah smiled shyly. "But...um, I really do appreciate the kind words. I haven't always had people this supportive," her eyes clouded over, as if she were caught in a not-so-distant memory, before her normal demeanor returned. "I do believe you wanted a friendly ear to vent to, though. My offer still stands."

Minnie gave something between a sigh and a groan, sitting on the floor by her bed. "Where do I even start? I went over to visit Marnie today to talk about getting chickens for my new coop. Oh, and she also offered me some cream to help my sore muscles," she patted the Bengay in her pocket. "But long story short, I met her nephew. He's a complete dick," she glanced up at Leah and cleared her throat. "Pardon my French."

Leah rolled her eyes. "Yeah, I know. Shane. If it helps, it's nothing personal. He's like that with everybody who doesn't serve him beer at the saloon," Leah paused. "So...like, anyone who isn't Gus or Emily."

"He basically told me I was a problem," Minnie huffed. "I've barely said anything to the guy. How is he even related to Marnie? She's so sweet and generous and nice, and he's so..." Minnie trailed off. Leah made claws with her fingers and pretended to roar like a dinosaur. Minnie laughed. "Yeah, that."

Different emotions flickered across Leah's face. "I know this doesn't excuse it, but," Leah ran a tense hand through her hair, as if preparing herself for what she was going to say. "I, um, I've seen him out late at night. Usually at the dock. Sometimes he was drunk, sometimes he was crying. Sometimes both," Leah cringed.

Minnie stayed silent. It wasn't in her social skillset to think of a response to something like that, so she just kept her trap shut and listened.

"I'm not a licensed mental practitioner, so maaaybe take what I say with a pinch of salt," Leah warned, Minnie listening with rapt attention. "But I'm pretty sure Shane is dealing with some kind of depression. My dads both dealt with it at different points while I was growing up, and I dunno," Leah shrugged. "Some of Shane's mannerisms kind of remind me of when my dads were depressed."

"Well, I guess I feel a little bad now," Minnie scratched the back of her neck. "But like you said earlier, it doesn't excuse his behavior. That guy is a mondo jerk."

Leah smirked. “Yeah, like I said, it doesn’t seem like he has anything against _you,_ he’s just kinda like that.”

“You know, thank you,” Minnie’s eyes met Leah’s. “You’re a really good listener.”

“I’m also…” Leah trailed off, her eyes suddenly coming to rest on a particularly interesting part of the floor.

Minnie blinked, confused. “Also..?”

“…I’m also good at…at giving massages.”

Minnie’s eyes widened. “ _Oh._ ”

Leah inhaled sharply through her teeth. “Yeah, sorry if that was too forward of me, it’s just that you mentioned you were sore,” Leah looked pointedly at her. “Also, it’s kinda hard to rub cream on your own back.”

“Well, if you’re offering, I wouldn’t mind a nice massage,” Minnie awkwardly pulled the Bengay out of her pocket and tossed it to Leah. “My legs aren’t that sore anymore. My arms feel pretty bad, but my back is in the worst shape right now.”

“If you’re sure. Go ahead and lay down on your tummy,” Leah shyly motioned to her bed.

“Are you sure you don’t mind me laying on your bed for this?” Minnie asked, suddenly feeling very, very awkward.

Leah laughed and shook her head. “I wouldn’t have offered if I minded, silly. Just lay down and let me work my magic,” she wiggled her fingers and gave a goofy wink.

Minnie kicked her sneakers off and flopped down on the bed. All at once, it hit her that one, Leah would be rubbing cream on her arms and back, and two, she would probably have to lift her shirt up or remove it entirely to give her access to her whole back.

Sensing Minnie’s sudden apprehension, Leah quirked an eyebrow. “Are you sure you’re alright with this? I don’t want to make you uncomfortable.”

“No, no, it’s just…” Minnie paused, looking for a way to word what she wanted to say. “How, exactly, are we going to do this? With my shirt and back, I mean.”

The look on Leah’s face told her she hadn’t thought that far ahead either. “Well, I don’t know,” Leah bit her lip. “You could always just lift your shirt up enough for me to cover the whole of your back, or you could,” Leah gestured to her own shirt. “You know.”

“Alright, the shirt is coming off,” Minnie sat up momentarily, ignoring the blush creeping up her neck and into her cheeks and pulling the T-shirt over her head. _It’s fine. It’s whatever. I still have a bra on._

As Minnie lay back on the bed, Leah poured some of the cream from the tube into her hand and rubbed her hands together. “Arms or back first?”

“No preference.”

Minnie closed her eyes just as Leah’s soft hands found her tense arms. She shivered slightly at the cold sensation of the cream and the warm sensation of Leah’s hands. The most tension was in her biceps, but Leah was on the job, and slowly worked her way down from her upper arms until the tension was practically melting away. Despite having a nap earlier, Minnie felt her eyes droop.

“Leah,” she mumbled.

“Yes, Minnie?”

“Please keep talking to me, I’m about five seconds away from falling asleep.”

Leah giggled. “How are things going on the farm?”

Minnie shuddered as Leah slathered a bit more of the unnaturally cold cream on the lower parts of her arms. “They’re going. I’m going to look into getting some more spring crops before the season is over.”

“That reminds me,” Leah squirted some more cream into her hands, rubbing them together vigorously to try and warm up the cream before she applied it to Minnie’s back. “Since the season is almost over, do you have anyone to go to the Flower Dance with?”

Minnie briefly snapped out of her tranquil stupor. “The what?”

“The Flower Dance. It’s some kind of end-of-spring festival. There’s going to be a buffet and a dance for all the…as the mayor phrased it, ‘young singles’.” Leah explained, spreading an even coat of cream on Minnie’s back, making sure to avoid the fabric of her bra.

“Young…singles?” Minnie repeated. “Sure thing. That doesn’t sound weird or awkward at all.” Leah laughed, shaking her head at Minnie’s skepticism.

“I don’t know, it doesn’t sound so bad! The buffet is incentive enough, but dancing? It’ll be fun!” Leah enthused, rubbing Minnie’s back in slow, gentle circles.

Minnie held back a groan when Leah’s masterful hands worked the cream into her back, and the soreness and tension right out. She had to will herself to focus on the conversation at hand rather than succumb to the alluring call of sleep. “You’ve never been?

“No, I’m new here. I arrived about a month before you did, so this is going to be my first Flower Dance, too,” Leah softly replied, slowly increasing pressure on Minnie’s back.

“Oh…well, would you like to go with me? That is, if you don’t have anyone?” Minnie squeezed her eyes shut tight, heart hammering in her chest as she waited for Leah’s reply.

“Sure, why not?” Relieved, Minnie exhaled, heat rising to her face. “I was going to dance with my friend, but I know he wouldn’t mind sitting out and getting more time to enjoy the buffet.”

“Thank goodness. I was kinda banking on you going with me since I don’t really know anyone else in town,” Minnie felt herself threatening to drift off when Leah’s hands on her back became feather-soft, almost feeling like nothing at all. “Is there a dress code?” Minnie asked, desperately trying to combat the onset of sleep.

“Sort of, but it isn’t strict,” Leah glanced over at her wardrobe. “From what I’m told, the women dancing wear flowy white dresses, and the men wear these blue suits, but there’s no rule against wearing any kind of dress or suit you want.”

“Do you have a dress or suit ready?”

Leah nodded, kneading Minnie’s shoulders. “I got my dress from Emily a couple days ago. She’s sort of the unofficial town tailor. I’m sure if you ask, Emily will make you a dress or suit free of charge.”

“Free?” Minnie asked incredulously.

Leah nodded again. “That’s right. She told me something about the fun of making the clothes being payment enough.”

“Well, I guess I’ll go talk to Emily. I usually opt for suits when it comes to stuff like this, but I think I’ll try a dress this time around,” Minnie mumbled, savoring every moment of Leah kneading her back and shoulders. It was almost as if the tension and soreness in her muscles was melting away every second Leah massaged her.

As if on cue, Leah suddenly paused. “There’s no more cream,” Leah stepped away from the bed, tossing the empty tube in the nearby trashcan.

“Oh. Makes sense, there wasn’t much in the tube to begin with,” Minnie replied, shaking the cobwebs out of her head. Her mind felt like a staticky television until she sat up and stretched her arms out. “Dude, that was amazing. Thank you so, so much.”

“You’re very welcome! I’m glad I could help you today,” Leah beamed, wiping her hands off with a paper towel. “And please remember I’m always here if you need to talk.”

Minnie threw her T-shirt back on and smiled, her cheeks radiating warmth. “We really need to hang out more. I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, I kinda didn't mean to make you guys wait so long for this chapter. I just got super busy. I also didn't mean for this chapter to be so damn long. Anyway, I'll try and keep up from now on. Sorry!


	7. Doctor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shane receives the fright of his life at the farmhouse and makes a new friend...but he swears it's not Minnie. Really.

"You _what?_ "

Shane internally cringed when his aunt raised her voice at him. He was a head taller than her, yet she still somehow knew how to make him feel like a small child being scolded by a parent. It had been days since the incident with the farmer, and when Marnie wondered why she hadn't seen her around, Shane let slip what had transpired between the two. _Big mistake._

"Shane, I've had it with this nonsense. You pushed all the nice townsfolk away when they welcomed you to the Valley. You push Jas and I, your own family, away daily," Marnie seemed to grow ten feet taller. "And now you're telling me you drove that poor, sweet girl out of the house by yelling at her?" Shane winced. It definitely sounded worse when his aunt phrased it like that.

"Marnie, you wouldn't understand--"

"I wouldn't understand?" Marnie scoffed, crossing her arms. "You're right, Shane. I _don't_ understand why you would behave so rudely to our new neighbor. She just wanted to talk to you!"

Shane rolled his eyes, walking over to the fridge. "Well, I didn't want to talk to Melinda," he spat, taking a frozen pizza from the freezer.

"You know her name."

"You can't prove that," Shane shot back, making his way to the microwave. Marnie stepped in front of the microwave, blocking his access.

"Shane, I know you're a nice young man. You just need to remember that," Marnie's soft voice was almost as quiet as a whisper. "Please make an effort. Do it for your old aunt Marnie," she gave his shoulder a gentle squeeze. 

Shane shied away from her touch, a twinge of guilt piercing him. He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose as he set the box of frozen pizza on the counter. "If I go apologize to the farmer, will you let me eat my pizza in relative peace?" Marnie said nothing, only giving a small smile in response.

Shane bit his lip to prevent himself from groaning in annoyance as he marched out the front door. It was one of his two days off, and he had to spend precious relaxation time swallowing his pride and apologizing to the new kid. What was her name again? Minerva? What kind of goofy name was that, anyway?

He kicked a little stone he found as he up the path to the Wade Farm. The stone reminded him of himself in some ways. Small, puny, insignificant. He gave a particular strong kick, and the stone scurried across the ground before falling into the lake with a splash and sinking to the bottom. He looked up from the ground for the first time and took in the expanse of farmland before him. It was nothing impressive, but the farmer had already gotten a decent amount of work done in the short time she'd been in town. There was a chicken coop by the dilapidated greenhouse and a long row of crops to the right of the coop. In the distance, a little brown dog chased a bright blue butterfly around the farm, ignoring Shane in favor of its floating fiend.

Shane inhaled deeply as he walked up the creaky steps to the farmhouse. He was by no means ready to apologize, yet here he was, at the behest of his aunt. Shane swallowed hard. He made a fist and lifted his arm, preparing to knock on the door.

"AAAAAAA! AAA AAA AAA!"

Shane yelled in surprise and fell backwards, scrambling away from...whatever that noise from hell was. Seriously, what _was_ that? And why was it in the farmer's house?

"It's okay, sweetie!"

"AAAAAAAAAA!"

Shane's heart hammered in his chest, still recovering from the fright of his life. The door opened, and Shane looked up from where he currently sat on the deck to see two faces looking down at him, one belonging to the farmer, and the other belonging to the very frightened looking multicolored bird perched on her shoulder.

"He saw you coming up to the house when he was looking out the window," Minnie explained before Shane could ask. "He was just a little scared is all. No biggie."

"AAAAA!"

Shane flinched and shielded himself, expecting the bird to swoop down and claw his eyes out, but cautiously put his arms down when he realized the bird only nuzzled up against Minnie, his feathers tight against her body. Minnie bit her lip, uncertain, and offered Shane her hand. He took it, carefully getting to his feet. He glanced nervously at the bird, who studied him with a piercing gaze.

"I'm sorry about that," Minnie looked away and sheepishly scratched the back of her neck, the bird's eyes never leaving Shane.

"No, I'm sorry," Shane sighed.

Minnie gave him a quizzical look, one brow quirked. "About the other day?"

"About the other day," Shane focused his gaze on the bird. "You didn't have this bird when you moved in, did you?"

Minnie laughed, stroking the bird's chest and tummy. "What gave it away?"

"Well, my aunt is still alive," Shane replied, the brightly colored bird locking eye contact with him. "If you'd had this thing when she came to greet you that one day, she'd have died of a heart attack like I nearly did."

Minnie laughed, the bird nuzzling her cheek. "I was cleaning the house the other day with the window open for some fresh air and he just flew in uninvited. I didn't even notice him at first until he started talking to me," she craned her head to look at the bird, who looked back at her with adoration. "Scared me half to death, same as you."

Shane was about to inquire what she meant when she said the bird talked to her when a grating voice interrupted him. "It surprised me," the bird looked pointedly at Shane, who stared back in disbelief. "And I better go. I better. I better go in line."

"What's he saying?" Shane asked, suddenly very aware that this bird was, in fact, speaking human words.

"Well, you surprised him," Minnie laughed, scratching the bird's head. "The rest is just random words strung together, I think. He must've had an owner before me if he already knows how to talk."

"The fact that the bird can even talk is unsettling as hell," Shane forcefully pried his eyes away when the bird began staring him down again. "And he keeps staring at me! Do you see that?"

Minnie smirked. "I'm sure he'd like you more if you pet him."

"Does he bite?"

Minnie shook her head. "He hasn't bitten me yet. Just put your hand out slowly so you don't scare him again."

Shane obliged, slowly sticking out his hand for the bird to see. The bird craned his head, suddenly interested. Shane slowly moved his hand over and outstretched his index finger. Slowly and carefully, Shane's finger made contact with the soft feathers of the bird's chest. The bird looked at Shane, unsure, and looked to Minnie in confusion. Minnie joined Shane in petting the bird, stroking his chest and tummy.

The bird snapped to attention, stiff as a board, and Shane pulled his hand back, as if burned. The bird looked off into the distance, clearly fixated by something, and when Shane turned around, he saw a plastic bag floating around in the breeze.

"I saw a dead bag," the bird squawked, shuffling back and forth on Minnie's shoulder. "I saw a dead bag!" Minnie and Shane shared a look of amusement as the bird raved on and on about the 'dead bag' he had seen.

"Does this bird of yours have a name?" Shane asked, now unafraid to pet the bird who leaned into his touch.

Minnie shook his head. "I was thinking Doctor."

Shane nodded. "Doctor's good."

"Well then, want to feed Doctor some strawberries with me?" Minnie gestured towards the open door of the farmhouse. Doctor bobbed his red and purple head up and down happily at the mention of strawberries.

Shane felt the corners of his lips threatening to tug upwards in a smile, so he cleared his throat and bit his tongue to keep from smiling. "I guess so. Just..." Shane looked at his shoes. "Just don't think this makes us... _friends_ or anything."

Minnie smiled. "Of course not, Shane. Of course not."


End file.
